Disinfecting and cleansing device for telephone and like mouthpieces



March 17, 1931. v FRASCHETTI 1,797,135

DISINFEOTING AND CLEANSING DEVICE FOR TELEPHONE AND LIKE MOUTHPIECES Filed Aug. 8, 1930 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 airs srarns;

PATENT @FFICE VIRGILIO FRASGHET'II, OF LONDON, ENGLAND DISINFECTING AND CLEANSING DEVICE FOR TELEEHONE AND LIKE MOUTHPIECES Application filed. August 8, 1930, Serial No. 474,020, and in Great Britain .Tune 26, 1929.

This invention has reference to a new or improved disinfecting and cleansing device for the mouthpieces of telephones, speaking tubes and the like, and provides a device which, in the form of an attachment for existing mouthpieces or incorporated in the construction thereof, is capable of cheap manufacture and which is effective in disinfecting the mouthpiece, and in wiping the 19 interior thereof by the performingof a simple operation, thedevice being so mounted that when it is required to use the telephone or the like, said device can be moved to a position in which it in no way obstructs the mouthpiece to interfere with speech transmission.

Briefiy, the invention consists in a device Comprising a hollow perforated member for hinged or pivotal mounting on a mouthpiece so as to be swung thereinto and thereout of as and when required, wiper elements rotatably mounted on the hollow perforated member and adapted to bear on the interior surface and perforated base of the mouth-- piece, means carried by the hollow member for actuating the wiper elements and means for permitting the hollow perforated member to be filled with solid or granular disinfectant.

For a ready understanding of the inventi on, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a front view of the device in the form of an attaclnncnt, said device being shown in open position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken on line 00, 3 of said Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, showing the device in the closed position.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

In carrying out the invention and referring r to the drawings, the hollow member consists of a cone 1, with perforations 2 in the wall thereof, affixed to a base plate 3 provided with a lug 4c pivotally mounted in and between the lugs 5 of one member of a grooved and solid base ring 6, 6, said membersG, 6

being conveniently bolted together.

deyicei'n closed position.

Extending centrally through the base plate 3 and apex end of the cone 1, in a slidable and rotary manner, is a spindle 7 which is fitted, where it extends through said apex end, with a springy wiper arm 8 which is faced with E5 rubber 9, and also with a disc 10 faced with rubber 11, said wiper arm 8 ext-ending alongside the cone 1 aforesaid.

To theother end of the spindle T is fitted an operating knob 12, and a spring 13, encircling the spindle 7, is interposed between said knob 12 and the base plate 3 aforesaid.

The said base plate 3 is provided with an aperture therein by means of whichthe cone 1 can be charged with solid or granular disinfectant, said aperture being closedby a movable screw plug 14. i I 7 Further, the spindle 7 is provided with a bar or agitator 15, positioned within the cone 1, by means of which the solid (i. e. balls or pellets) or granular disinfectant is agitated as and when the spindle is actuated to wipe the mouthpiece.

The device is, as shown in Figure 3, affixed by bolting together the two-part base ring 6, 6 over the rim of a telephone mouthpiece 16 (dot-an'd-dash lines), and, when closed, the interior of the mouthpiece is freed of germs under the influence of the disinfectant which permeates through the perforations 2 of the 59 cone 1 aforesaic 7 On rotating the, spindle 7, by means of the knob 12, the rubber-faced wiper arm 8 is retated and, contacting with the inner wall of the mouthpiece 16, readily wipes the same clean of any foreign matter which may have acciuiiulated therein.

Further, by simultaneously rotating and inwardly pressing the spindle 7, the rubber facell of the disc 10 also functions to wipe the usual perforated base disc 17 in the mouthpiece 16 aforesaichthe agitator 15 functioning to disturb the disinfectant in the cone 1 during both the rotary and longitudinal movementsof the knob-operated spindle 7 aforesaid.

A suitable fastening means, not shown in the drawings. is provided for retaining the when the instrument is required for use,

V rubber-faced springy spindle, the wiper the device is swung out of and clear of the mouthpiece of the instrument so as to leave the latter free for speech transmission, the cone and Wipers of the device offering no obstruction to such outward movement, or to the inward movement when the device is closed.

I claim 1. A disinfecting and cleansing device for a telephone or like mouthpiece, comprising a disinfecting cover hingedly or pivotally mounted or adapted to be hingedly or pivotally mounted on the mouthpiece in order to close the mouth thereof when required, and externally operated means associated with said cover for wiping the interior of the mouthpiece when said cover is closed.

2. A antiseptic attachment for telephone mouthpieces comprising a ring adapted to be attached to the mouthpiece, a base plate hingedly connected to the ring and constituting a cover when the attachment is applied to the mouthpiece, a perforated cone carried by the inside of the base plate, a filler opening and plug in the base plate, a spindle rotatably journalled in the base plate and in the cone, a spring for maintaining the spindle in its normal outward position, agitating means on the shank of the spindle, a wiper disk carried by the inner end of the spindle and a laterally projecting spring arm also carried by the spindle and having wiper means thereon.

3. A disinfecting and cleansing device for telephone and like mouthpieces, comprising a hollow perforated member for hinged or pivotal mounting on a mouthpiece so as to be swung thereinto and thereout of as and when required, wiper elements rotatably mounted on the hollow perforated member and adapted to bear on the interior surface and perforated base of the mouthpiece, means carried by the hollow member for actuating the wiper elements, and means for permitting said hollow perforated member to be filled with solid or granular disinfectant.

4:. A disinfecting and cleansing device as in claim 3, wherein the device is carried by a grooved and split base ring adapted to be detachably ailixed in an existing telephone or like mouthpiece. I

5. A disinfecting and cleansing device including a hollow perforated cone aflixed to base plate hingedly connected to the base plug, a centrally disposed spring-pressed spindle slidably and rotatably mounted in said base plate and apex end of said cone, a ried by said spindle and exterior of and extending alongside said cone, knob on one end of said spindle, and a rubberfaced disc carried by the other end of said arm to wipe the. wall of the mouthpiece, and the disc to wipe the perforated base thereof.

wiper arm fixedly caran operating 7 6. A disinfecting and cleansing device as in claim 5, wherein the base plate is apertured and fitted with a removable plug to permit the cone to be charged with a solid or granular disinfectant, and the spindle is provided with means to disturn said disin fectant when said spindle is actuated.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature hereto this 30th day of July 1930.

VIRGILIO FRASCHETTI. 

